Hedda Gabler
February – March
Now playing · Until 31 October
The GlassMenagerie
Tennessee Williams' memory play, in a new production directed by Aisha Coleman.
The season
The 2026–27 season.
The Pirates of Penzance
April – May
Death of a Salesman
June – July
Your evening
Before the show
The Circle Bar opens ninety minutes before curtain-up. Order a glass of something from the 1897 list, take a seat beneath the original plasterwork, and let the front-of-house team point you towards your row.
The interval
Twenty minutes, and drinks ordered in advance are waiting for you on the mezzanine, labelled with your seat number. There is no queue, and no dash. The bell rings twice before the second act.
After
The stage door on Lyric Lane opens shortly after the curtain call. On Thursdays the company returns to the stalls for a free post-show conversation, chaired by a member of the creative team.
The building
Curtain up since 1897.
Frank Matcham drew the plans in a single winter: three gilded tiers, a domed ceiling of painted muses, and sightlines so generous that the cheapest seat in the gods still sees an actor's eyes. The Lyric opened on a wet October night in 1897 and has gone dark only twice since.
A fourteen-year-old Charlie Chaplin played the second week of a touring bill here, billed eleventh of twelve. The stage he stood on is the stage we use tonight — the same raked boards, patched and re-laid, still creaking in all the familiar places.
912
seats
127
years of performances
Be first in the queue.
Priority booking
Seven days before public sale, with your usual seats held back for you.
No booking fees
On every ticket, every production, however you choose to book.
The Members' Room
A quiet room behind the dress circle, open two hours either side of the show.
Access
Every seat, every audience.
Relaxed performances
House lights kept low rather than out, sound levels softened, and a quiet space in the Matcham Room for the whole evening. Movement in and out of the auditorium is welcome throughout.
Captioned performances
Open captions on a screen beside the proscenium for the second Thursday of every run, with a full script available to read beforehand.
Audio described
Live description through a headset, plus a pre-show touch tour of the set at 6.15pm. Assistance dogs are looked after by front of house.
Plan your visit
Address
The Lyric Theatre
48 Shaftesbury Row
Manchester M2 3LY
Box office
Mon – Sat, 10am – 8pm
Sun, 12pm – 6pm
Open until curtain-up on show nights
Telephone
0161 480 1897
boxoffice@thelyric.co.uk
Getting here
8 minutes' walk from Piccadilly
Trams to St Peter's Square
NCP Shaftesbury Row, 2 minutes